December 24, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Metamorphosis awaits; embrace the cocoon. En♥, -me!

Some of us desire growth, change, and transfiguration of our physical lives and spiritual selves but are unwilling to step into the envelope of alteration. Metamorphosis is unattainable without passage through the cocoon. In this capsule of change, our attentions are directed within, where we come to understand that we are fully equipped with the resources to awaken to the fresh breath of a transformed life and perspective. The truth and beauty is in recognizing that life consistently affords us with metamorphic opportunities, but we must first be willing to undergo the cocoon experience.

"Experience the strength and new beginnings being revealed within you." –Nancy L. Butler-Ross and Michael Suib, Meditation Express

From My Cocoon, 12/23/12, 12:36:47 PM
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December 23, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Strength is in composure. En♥, -me!

In the face of perturbation, resist the urge to come apart. The truth and beauty is in remembering that Love Synthesizes! As such, the source of our vigor and power is energized at the amalgamated core. Pull it together; Find the center; Be grounded; Balance.

From My Cocoon, 12/22/12, 11:05:12 AM
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December 22, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Each moment requires a private party. En♥, -me!

Pity parties. Passion parties. Everywhere we turn, we can frequently find ourselves engaged in one of the two (or something that qualifies on the spectrum between), and primarily the honored guest is our past perceptions or our future foretellings. What about the present? Often times we spend too much energy planning and hosting parties for the past and future that we fail to realize our neglect to invite the now. And we wonder why we feel so imbalanced!? The truth and beauty comes in understanding that every moment, all we have is this moment; and, it should be eternally celebrated with a private, prominent party. No guest list is necessary because the only other two attempting to get in (past and future) should never be on it. We could increase our potential of being grounded, centered, and balanced if we spent our energy concerning ourselves with gathering socially in observance of every moment, just as it is. So, DJ, turn up the music! Now we've got something really worth celebrating!

From My Cocoon, 12/21/12, 10:29:30 AM 
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December 21, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Love Synthesizes! En♥, -me!

My experience has been that when all else fails, love remains. Why? Love Synthesizes! There is a sometimes indescribable power that seems to harmonize and heal even the most fragmented pieces among us. That's love. Love brings us together in song and dance. Love brings us together for hugs and physical embraces. Love brings us together to complete projects as a team. Love brings us together to stand collectively for a cause. Love brings us together after disagreements. Love brings us home. Love brings us unto ourselves. Love brings us unto love. Even the universal symbol for love, the heart (♥), is drawn by the coupling of two halves. Love Synthesizes! The truth and beauty is in recognizing that we need not wait until we feel compartmentalized and broken to experience the everlasting unity and cohesion that love consistently provides.

From My Cocoon, 12/20/12, 10:45:14 AM 
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December 20, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Every hurricane has an eye. Get centered. En♥, -me!

Amid every whirlwind and turbulent encounter, there is a locus of sustenance. At this center is where we find the peace, balance, grounding, support, freedom, and bliss that we so often yearn for. The truth and beauty is in awakening to the various ways in which life frequently beckons us to the nucleus. There are subtle reminders everywhere we look, sometimes in the most unlikely places.

From My Cocoon, 12/19/12, 11:18:06 AM
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December 19, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Part of my growth includes honoring where I've grown from. En♥, -me!

It is impossible to know and remember who we are without remembering where we came from. Whether we regard the physical space, community, and experiences of our beginnings as refreshing or tainted, there is no denying that we would not be who / where we are now if we had not passed that way. At the very least, going "home" is a gentle exercise in gratefulness and groundedness; and, it is vital to our growth. The truth and beauty is in understanding that if we fail to acknowledge our beginnings with humility, respect, and love, then (just as the rocking horse) we are in a perpetual state of movement, not progression.

"A forest that has sheltered you, you should not call a patch of scrub." – Oji Proverb

From My Cocoon, 12/18/12, 10:21:36 AM
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December 18, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: I can achieve balance by awakening to the fullness of the dark and the void of the light. En♥, -me!

Our society thrives on duality discussion and the juxtaposition of what are commonly perceived as opposites: good and bad, right and wrong, right and left, up and down, rich and poor, black and white, heterosexual and homosexual, day and night, light and dark, etc. We promote the idea that if half of the whole is affiliated with a positivity, then the other half must be negative. While one can certainly find some element of truth in this philosophy, how much more holistic stability could we achieve by focusing our attention on union instead of division, synthesis instead of compartmentalization? The truth and beauty is in altering perspective to understand opposites as relational, not resistance. Opposites are a complementary / corresponding pair that are separated by an intervening space. There is clarity in the view from the gap; it reveals appreciation for that which both parts have to offer. Upon re-examination, we can see that though we commonly neglect the darkness because we rely so heavily on the light to supply needs and validate our path, there are in fact a plethora of rich resources and lessons that are only accessible in the darkness. A delicate balance of pieces is pivotal to peace.

From My Cocoon, 02/02/13, 2:43:57 PM
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December 17, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Love on yourself like you are the only one living in your skin. En♥, -me!

Why? Because you are! While loving on yourself helps you know yourself, it is also an action that first requires you learning yourself. Basking in solitude is a great way to initiate the learning process. How can we love on ourselves if we don't know ourselves well enough to know how we desire love? Furthermore, how do we dare communicate our desires to others? When we lay to rest at night, it matters not who wraps up in our sheets with us; we are the only ones who wrap up in our skin. The truth and beauty is in comprehending that communing with ourselves is a prerequisite to loving on ourselves as only we are capable. Communing with ourselves is loving on ourselves!

From My Cocoon, 02/02/13, 2:00:14 PM
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December 16, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Thoughts materialize. En♥, -me!

It is a timeless truism that that which we think comes into existence. The truth and beauty is in actually discerning this truth; we have an unremitting ability to shape and reshape our realities by simply being more aware of our cogitation. If we are unsettled by circumstances, we should scrutinize our thoughts. We can do something to ignite loving change; and the first thing we can do is utilize our mind's eye to see (i.e., intention) the change. Only then will it be actualized. So don't hesitate to ask yourself, "What are you thinking about?"

From The Passenger's Side, 12/16/12, 12:12:17 PM
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December 15, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Taste the sweet nectar of life uncommon. En♥, -me!

"Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom.
No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from.
Fill your lives with love and bravery,
And you shall lead a life uncommon."

– Jewel, Life Uncommon

The truth and beauty is in comprehending that it can be just that simple! Many of us expend our energy and strength on things that entangle and enslave our own selves. Unfortunately, it's the common thing to do. But what if we...just...let...go? The uncommon life is lived in courage, the courage to be enveloped in love and boldly free ourselves from those things we no longer wish to be bound to or by. Daring to live a life uncommon is filled with an abundance of nourishing sweetness that eases and satisfies. Let's stick our tongues out and taste it now.

From My Cocoon, 12/14/12, 10:00:19 AM 
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December 14, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Be willing to change perspective and witness the love that is all around. En♥, -me!

Our mental view sets the scene for what we see and experience now. Some people like to affirm that, "Perception is Reality." The truth and beauty is in knowing that the luxury of affirming love is all around us; all we need do is open our mind's eye to behold its abundance. We can choose to look at the world as hard, guilty, horrible, negative, lacking, etc.; or, we can choose to change our lenses, look again, and observe every goodness that is offered, especially the ones we may have previously taken for granted or not even noticed at all.

From My Cocoon, 12/13/12, 9:56:46 AM
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December 13, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: I can experience my own healing by peeling back the layers and loving the hurt away. En♥, -me!

If we can worry ourselves sick, we can believe ourselves well; the mind can be medicinal! Every single pain that we experience, physical or metaphysical, is capable of healing. The truth and beauty is in receiving the lesson that the pain has come to teach us, by exploring its organic source. This inward journey requires an enormous amount of blatant honestly with ourselves. Underneath the multiple layers of our own fantasies that paint us as victims of hurt is the authentic truth that actually paints us as the victimizer. We can heal ourselves! Our courageous willingness to love against all odds is is the treatment.

NOTE: A helpful resource for peeling back the layers may be Sakichi Toyoda's "Five Whys" Technique.

NOTE: A helpful resource for loving the hurt away may be Love is Letting Go of Fear by Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D.

From My Cocoon, 12/12/12, 10:40:40 AM
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December 12, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: May your life amplify the music of your heartstrings. En♥, -me!

Music is a universal language. It can heal, unify, restore, entertain, and educate. Look around; listen around. We are all musicians in the mystical symphony of life. Our bodies even have their own rhythm sections, and the breath of life is sustained because the heart undulates with the cadence. The truth and beauty is in perceiving the importance of our contribution to the music. There is a song pulling on our heartstrings. The balance of the aesthetic whole hinges on our individual commitment to amplify our sound, when necessary. Decide today to consciously share in the music. The band needs you, and so do you!

From My Cocoon, 12/11/12, 10:06:49 AM
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December 11, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: All can illuminate brighter by fearlessly sharing the inextinguishable light. En♥, -me!

There is a candle of inconsumable flame. Its light permeates the soul and serves as a beacon of truth for our journey. And we all have it. The truth and beauty comes in believing that we are all the source of this limitless light; we are all one with this limitless light; and by choosing to unify our limitless light, we can all be more luminous. Contrary to popular belief, we need not fear the darkness as a result of sharing our light. The abundance of light is inexhaustible.

"If this little light of mine combined with yours today, how many watts could we illuminate? How many villages could save?" – Jason Mraz, The Sunshine Song

From My Cocoon, 12/10/12, 9:41:49 AM
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December 10, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Stay here. Be baptized in the present. En♥, -me!

Whether through aspersion, affusion, immersion, or submersion, the Christian tradition recognizes baptism as a sacred experience of initiation. In a ceremonious manner, water is applied to the physical body (in part or whole) and an individual is considered washed, renewed, welcomed, and sometimes given a new name. What if we looked at life as a continual state of new moments and consciously decided to be metaphysically cleansed in each one? What if we truly recognized that each moment affords us a new opportunity to rid ourselves of past hallucinations and future delusions and just stay in the here and now? The truth and beauty is in knowing that when we choose to focus on nothing but the peace of the present, we are perpetually engaged in a ritual of purgation.

"Each moment...is a new place you've never been." – Unknown

From My Cocoon, 12/09/12, 7:05:35 PM
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December 9, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Intuition is impervious to the impulsive illusions of instinct. En♥, -me!

Instinct, Intuition. I would venture to say that many of us don't recognize them as two distinct things because we use their names interchangeably. So, just what is the difference? Simply put, instinct is fear / ego, and intuition is love / true self. You know that immediate, animated response to things that is often close-minded, defensive, and more than likely selfish at its core? Instinct. And you know that insightful "gut feeling" that ALWAYS tells the truth, even if we choose not to listen or feel hesitant because we don't quite see the definitive means to the end yet? Intuition. The truth and beauty comes in questioning which one we have being led by and understanding the necessity of allowing intuition to be our guide. No matter how hard the fantasies of instinct pursue, intuition is unwavering and will always be there with a "NO TRESPASSING" sign out front.

From My Cocoon, 12/08/12, 9:54:19 AM
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December 8, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: There's no room for baggage on the soul train. En♥, -me!

Throughout the years, there have been many musical references to trains as a symbolic expression of mass movement and rapid transition to a new state of awareness. The gospel traditions of the deep south spiritual, "The Gospel Train," welcomed everyone to "Get on board little children. There's room for many-a-more." In 1965, Curtis Mayfield wrote "People Get Ready" and sang of social awareness with the Impressions, "People get ready. There's a train a comin'. You don't need no baggage. You just get on board." Atlanta supergroup, Dungeon Family, released a 2001 hit of self-confidence and conviction,"Trans DF Express," that urges others to "Grab your ticket. Come get wit it." That train we keep hearing so much about is a metaphorical express transport of souls. It's a vehicle that all are welcomed to hitch a ride on and move to a new, elevated, loving and peaceful station of consciousness. The truth and beauty is in honoring the sanctity of the transit and recognizing that in order to maximize compartmental space and maintain that room for many-a-more, it is imperative that we all let go and drop our bags before boarding. Besides, we won't want any weight once experiencing the freedom of where this train is going any way. The ancestors have already assured us that "This train is bound for glory."

"...and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace, and soul!" – Donald "Don" Cornelius, Soul Train Creator and Host

From My Cocoon, 12/07/12, 1:01:20 PM
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December 7, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Crying is letting go of tears. En♥, -me!

Many of us encounter a mind manufactured "YIELD", "STOP", "DETOUR", or even "DEAD END" sign immediately after we pass the "CAUTION: CRYING AHEAD" sign along life's highways and by-ways. It is so customary to even go so far as to whisper and plead internally, while the tear ducts are filling to maximum capacity, "Don't cry. please don't cry." Whether the tears are classified as happy or sad, we often times greet them with hesitancy and aversion. It could be self-consciousness over vulnerability. It could be embarrassment. It could be undesired perception of weakness. It could be fatigue. It could be stubbornness. It could be intimidation. It could be just be a timing. Ultimately, it's fear. The truth and beauty comes in recognizing and releasing the self-imposed tension of fear and...just...crying. Crying is therapeutic. If for nothing else, consider that the body is a self-sustaining organism. Crying is an integral process that is directly connected to the body's drainage system. Tears are a saline lubricant necessary to facilitating the fluidity and seamless motion of your body parts. Crying is healing. No matter who, what, where, when, why, or how, when the tears come, go on; cry. Follow the sign that says, "Keep Going This Way."

"Crying doesn't indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive." – Unknown

From My Cocoon, 12/06/12, 11:12:29 AM
Today’s Truth and Beauty^TM

December 6, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: It's never too late to contemplate who / what we want to be when we grow up. En♥, -me!

It seems as though "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a probing (and often intimidating) question exclusively reserved for those within a certain age and height requirement. The truth and beauty comes in freely accepting that growth is a continual cycle, and it is highly probable that the journey towards fulfilling purpose includes more than one destination. The societal pressures of attempting to have that elusive "it" figured out by a certain time in our lives has a reputation of stress, emptiness, anguish, and unhappiness. Release the tension. Life is not linear, so stop toeing the line. It's never too late to charter a new course. If the soul still resides in the physical body as we know it, then there is still growth inside. We may learn that our flower is just budding. So, be your age nine months, nine years, nineteen years, ninety years, ninety-nine years, or any other, take some time to ask yourself, "Who / What do I want to be when I grow up?"

From My Cocoon, 12/05/12, 11:30:18 AM
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December 5, 2012

Today's Truth and Beauty: Some are invited, but all are welcomed. En♥, -me!

Just as "the doors of the church are always open" but a personal invitation may be extended for some to join in the fellowship and unity of a religious experience, the same is true of life. Everyone that showed up to the gathering may not have been invited, but why can't their arrival be welcomed with all of the love, positivity, joy, and hopefulness that our hearts can stand? The truth and beauty comes in practicing the application of this principle to the vicissitudes of our daily lives. Perhaps you feel like you didn't specifically extend an open hand to that illness, that financial instability, that person who's very presence makes your blood pressure rise, that traffic violation, etc. The instinctive reaction may be stress and frustration, but there is more peace in choosing to extend an open heart to that uninvited guest. In turn, they / it may not linger as long as you expected; their / it's presence may cease to be a nuisance.

"Attitude makes all the difference." – Carol Henley, Fellow Summer 2003 ETSU Intern

From My Cocoon, 12/04/12, 10:17:13 AM
Today’s Truth and Beauty^TM